Lesbian Superhero Takes Gotham

The times gets all gushy about efforts to introduce new Hispanic, Chinese, black, and gay characters into the comics.

Because we're so nostalgic for Super Samurai, Apache Chief, and Black Vulcan.

Kind of annoying is the introduction of a lesbian "Batwoman." First of all-- aren't lesbians already super-heroes of a sort? Second of all -- DC, in particular, periodically promises us they will stop with the 40's and 50's era nonsense of just making new Bat-characters and Super-characters. In the eighties, they got rid of Supergirl, for example, and promised us that was the end of the Superman knock-offs; from now on, there would be no Super-dogs, Super-monkeys, Superboys, Superwomans, etc.; Kal El would be the Last and Only Son of Krypton.

That held for about three months, then Superboy and Supergirl came back.

It's kind of lame to just have a new Batman, only this time, she's a chick. And a "buxom, lipstick lesbian socialite." Okay, admittedly, that last part has potential, but come on, you know they're not going to have any fun with this. As most gay characters are portrayed, she'll be about as sexually adventurous as a 88-year-old Oklahoma deacon.

Another effort to link old and new characters centers on Kathy Kane, the gay Batwoman who will appear in costume for the first time in a July issue of "52." Batwoman was introduced in 1956, but she was one of several, often silly additions to the Bat family, including Ace the Bat-Hound (1955), Bat-Mite (1959) and Bat-Girl (1961). In her latest incarnation, Batwoman is a wealthy, buxom lipstick lesbian who has a history with Renee Montoya, an ex-police detective who has a starring role in "52."

What really bothers me, though, is that DC is introducing a team of ten Chinese superheroes. And when I say "Chinese," I don't mean "Chinese-American." Nor do I mean Taiwanese. I mean Red Chinese, and furthermore, directly controlled by the Chinese communist government.

And they don't seem to be bad guys, from the NYT's description. No, they're heroes-- who just happen to fight for Truth, Justice, and the Great Leap Forward.

Check out the "Socialist Red Guardsman," for example.

I am less bothered by the multi-culti crap than I am by the multinationalist stuff. The Chinese government can be described in different ways -- strategic competitor, rival, enemy biding its time -- but it cannot be described as an ally. And yet DC Comics has decided, it seems, to propagandize on their behalf.

Liberals often criticize corporations for not having the interests of the American people in mind... and they are, often, right. They have their own interests in mind, which is the way of the world.

But I'm becoming a bit more liberal in my view of corporations, as I see DC Comics attempting to help the Chinese government by giving them their own super-team, and Google censoring on behalf of the Chinese government, etc.

Of course, I realize that liberals probably defend these actions. They don't mind when corporations act against America's best interests, so long as they're acting in one of America's enemies' best interests.

I can't wait until DC unveils the "New Jihadis," a super-team of radicalized Muslims who gain their powers from an unshakable belief in Allah and who have all sorts of neat powers, like being able to blow up civilians without remorse. Hey, it's an underserved segment of the market; might as well try to make a buck there too, huh?

PS, DC is kind of tone-deaf as regards its Chinese super-team. One character, "Mother of Champions," gives birth to a "litter" of 25 super-warriors every three days. Another character, "Seven Deadly Brothers," can split into seven different fighters.

Odd, isn't it, that two of the Chinese teams' members have the power of superpopulating, eh? Why no character named "One in a Billion"?

Might as well call the team "The Yellow Hordes" and be done with it.

Thanks to Kent.

posted by Ace at 04:51 PM

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